The intimate gestures between Jin Muchen and Helen were enough to make Curtis's eyes shoot flames. If it weren't for the current setting, he would have wanted to grab the Chinese guy in front of him and twist his neck.
Nick and Bo Yide also wore gloomy expressions. As old buddies with Curtis, they were well aware of his feelings towards Helen. However, today, a dark horse unexpectedly emerged? They had initially planned to undermine this guy's reputation with their usual tacit understanding and tricks, humiliating him in front of everyone and making him leave.
But to their surprise, this guy didn't play by the rules at all. Instead, he grew closer to Helen. Looking at Curtis sitting beside them, they couldn't help but worry. If this continued, Curtis might lose control even before the Chinese guy across from them did anything.
This restaurant was one of the most prestigious in New York. The clientele consisted of elite members of New York's high society. If Curtis were to lose control here, it wouldn't just be embarrassing for him but also for his family. Their entire reputation could be tarnished, and they might struggle to fit in with New York's elite circles in the future.
"Alright, it looks like everyone's almost done eating. Why don't we head out?" Nick quickly suggested, sensing the tense atmosphere.
"Yeah, we're all full anyway. Let's not linger here. How about we go find a nightclub?" Bo Yide chimed in from the other side. He understood Nick's intention very well. Curtis needed an outlet for his anger today, and this Chinese guy sitting across from them seemed like the perfect target, but not here.
Once they were out of here and in the nightclub, they could easily provoke the guy and make him lose his temper. Then, who would believe that the three of them couldn't handle one Chinese guy? Even if he knew some Chinese martial arts? They were cowboys from the Wild West, not pushovers.
With Bo Yide's suggestion, Nick immediately understood his intention. He discreetly nudged Curtis under the table. Curtis, who was just beginning to calm down from his earlier rage, caught on to Bo Yide's words. This was perfect. Wait until we're at the nightclub, you'll see.
"Sure! Since we've finished eating, let's go to the nightclub. No one's leaving tonight! It's on me!" Curtis exclaimed, trying to appear generous.
On the other hand, Judy and Maria became interested because of the relationship between Helen and Jin Muchen. They wanted to see what was going on between them and learn more about their relationship.
"Great, great! I know a place not far from here, Volcano Bar. It's newly opened, and the ambiance there is excellent. Plus, the owner is a friend of mine. How about we go there?" Judy suggested with a smile. Jin Muchen and Helen weren't keen on going, but seeing the looks on everyone's faces, they realized they had no choice but to go along. Jin Muchen wasn't interested in going to a bar, especially with these people. He had initially thought of leaving right away. This game had been tiresome. However, to his surprise, Helen stopped him by grabbing his arm. "Alright, let's go to Volcano Bar. I heard their live band is excellent."
Originally, Helen didn't want to go either, but upon second thought, she had already angered Curtis earlier. Moreover, her father and Curtis's father were cooperating on a certain business venture. So she couldn't ignore Curtis's face. Plus, there was the man beside her who piqued her curiosity.
To be honest, Jin Muchen's ability to neutralize Nick and Bo Yide's underhanded tactics, despite implicating himself, made Helen appreciate his cleverness. Even when the other party spoke so outrageously, this guy didn't get angry at all. Instead, he found the other's weaknesses and turned them against him, leaving the other party fuming. This guy was quite interesting indeed. There would surely be more intrigue and schemes ahead. Helen wanted to see what other methods this man had up his sleeve to defuse each situation.
Furthermore, did this jerk think he could take advantage of her so easily? Today, this jerk wouldn't leave without paying a price.
With Helen holding onto his arm, Jin Muchen couldn't leave even if he wanted to. He had to follow along as everyone left the restaurant.
"That bar isn't far from here, but parking might be tricky. How about we walk there together?" Judy suggested. The others agreed; it was only a few blocks away, and this area was known for its safety.
Judy and Maria led the way, with Jin Muchen and Helen following behind. Nick, Bo Yide, and Curtis walked behind them, seemingly worried that Jin Muchen and Helen might run off. They whispered among themselves, undoubtedly planning how to provoke Jin Muchen.
"It's quite cold. Let me take you through a shortcut," Judy called back to them, leading the group into a nearby alley. In any other area, they might hesitate to follow her, but this was Manhattan's Upper East Side, so they naturally followed.
But as soon as they entered the alley, Judy screamed. Everyone behind her froze, looking up to see a bald black man pointing a gun at them.
"Hehe, folks, it's party time," he sneered.
"Please, don't hurt us. Tell us what you want, and we'll give it to you," Judy and Maria trembled, speaking to the man.
Meanwhile, Jin Muchen, standing behind them, cursed silently. Why did they have to get involved with these guys? If they had knives, he wouldn't be worried, but seeing the gun in the man's hand made him nervous. He hadn't trained in bulletproof kung fu; even if he had, it wouldn't stop a bullet!
Meanwhile, the three cowboys at the back remained silent, their thoughts unknown.
"I have $200 here. Take it and let us go, please," Judy pleaded, holding out her wallet.
"I also have $100..."
But the black man slapped away the money Judy offered and roughly pushed her aside, making her stumble against the wall.
"Who wants your damn money? Get over there," he ordered, gesturing towards the wall.
Unbelievably, he didn't want their money. Was he after something else?
Jin Muchen felt a sharp pain in his arm and looked down to see Helen, her face pale, trembling and clutching his arm tightly as if it were her lifeline.
He instinctively reached out and clasped the girl's fingers, which were exerting considerable force and slightly pale. His palm, dry and warm, provided an unexpected comfort. Helen lifted her gaze, catching sight of his subtle upward curve of the lips. Somehow, the tension that had been tightly wound within her loosened in that moment.
"Hey, what are you all standing there gawking for? Move over here!" The black man gestured with his gun, urging them closer. Jing Mu Chen gently pulled Helen towards the adjacent wall, while the three cowboys who had trailed behind them dared not even let out a peep, obediently positioning themselves against the wall.
"Hey, cowboys, where's your Wild West bravado now?" Seeing these trembling 'cowboys', Jing Mu Chen couldn't resist taunting them. Remembering their earlier boastful tales at the dinner table, he couldn't help but reveal their true colors when faced with real danger. These supposed courageous 'cowboys' immediately reverted to their true selves - merely pampered sons who had never seen real hardship.
"Shut up, all of you!" The black man overheard Jing Mu Chen's muttered words and couldn't help but shoot him a fierce glare, cursing under his breath.
Jing Mu Chen fell silent and began to survey his surroundings. A foul stench wafted over from nearby - a trash bin, most likely belonging to the residents of the adjacent building. The contents, originally sorted into black garbage bags, had been disturbed by stray cats, resulting in torn bags and the nauseating smell of rotting food mingling with dirty water.
Amidst the unpleasant odor, a glint of silver at the opening of a torn garbage bag caught Jing Mu Chen's attention - an ordinary round-tipped table knife, discarded and forgotten. Without revealing his intentions, he stealthily retrieved the knife, concealing it in the palm of his hand.
As Judy and Maria sobbed softly, the three cowboys huddled against the wall, too frightened to even raise their heads. Helen, witnessing Jing Mu Chen's subtle action moments ago, trembled slightly, yet she tightened her grip on his large hand without a word.
The black man glanced at them all before nodding in satisfaction, then proceeded to dial a number on his phone...